http://archiveofourown.org/works/143024 Very Merry Midwinter (Snowman (The Felt))

I love how quietly nonplussed Snowman is at the unfolding shenanigans. Suddenly, cold white stuff! Suddenly, people talking nonsense! Suddenly this is some sort of important thing for no discernible reason!

Itchy set down a plate full of bacon, reaching over into Snowman’s plate and picking up her toast, taking a bite out of it 

Snowman seems pretty chill about this, does she not care much about toast or breakfast?

And Itchy seems pretty determined, is he actually that into toast or is it just that stealing from people makes it taste better?

Ah, sledding. Not sure how anyone thought that was a good idea.

It was hot, very good, but it was good too.

Middle looks like should probably be “very hot” or something.

Snowman paused in the middle of the field, taking a moment to survey the bodies. The snow looked very festive now, red blood and green bodies scattered around. She glanced back at Crowbar, hands stuck deep in her pockets, “I understand Midwinter now.” 

yes

Cans’ voice was soothing to listen to, a deep rolling rumble that was almost familiar

… :(

Can’s story is a good one – I assume the ending’s true, since Crowbar doesn’t seem like he’d invent things.

Deceit popped up in the slice Scratch had been given (though Crowbar had eaten the cake for Scratch, so they were debating on who really had gotten Deceit).  

Ominous!

The Crew had been out, and they’d taken their time covering the hideout in the ugliest tackiest decorations they could find on such short notice. 

And then Droog and Slick have a rage off.

“Well, there is another one coming up in a few months. You just have to promise to play dumb when they drag you out to gather up moss and lichens for bouquets,” 

This must happen.

Some of this seems too pat, with everyone doing a bit too well at understanding each other. But that’s kind of inevitable for the genre, and it is all terribly cute, as are the Crowbar/Snowman bits running through it.

http://archiveofourown.org/works/166484?view_full_work=true Abomination (Slick, Snowman)

There’s something so addictively trainwreaky about the two of them having a kid, and I love how vicious they are to each other.

http://archiveofourown.org/works/151522 Rhapsody from Rancor (Jack)

This is absolutely beautiful. I love the rage constantly threatening to boil over each time Jack thinks, particularly how arbitrary it is – picturing smashing the piano, then shortly after gutting the person involved in leaving it to collect dust, and I love how despite that you can still make it clear that his hate for the Queen is something else entirely. And I love the vividness of the description as a whole, even the tedium of paperwork.

I feel the ending is rather weak, though. The rest of the story has a clear structure and a steady pulse of energy, while the ending feels like it’s just there to make for a happier finish.

http://archiveofourown.org/works/151596 Penrose – Ashen (Clubs Deuce)

Hm. This is intriguing, but I’m not so sure of its execution. The idea of Deuce surviving because he’s overlooked is a good one. But why would the Black Queen kill Droog if all he was doing was handing the scepter over to her, and why would she have wanted it delivered at all instead of destroyed on the spot? And I don’t understand his thought process here – his friends die over the scepter, so he blows up both palaces to cause a bureaucratic foulup in the war? Sure, the war itself is slightly connected to what happened, but just barely. I could see him blaming the Black Queen, since she seems to have orchestrated it, and maybe going to far as no longer supporting Derse in the war, but it’s still a huge jump from there to going against the war itself. And it isn’t just that he wants to kill everyone involved at all, since he seems to have the idea this is good for people. Even though, again, step one of his plan was getting an awful lot of just as innocent people blown up. And if the Queens are still active, surely they’re more of a problem than the armies. It doesn’t really answer the question of what Deuce would do with this power, because it doesn’t really explain why Deuce would pick this.

http://archiveofourown.org/works/153543 Hourglass (Jack)

Lovely lovely lovely. I like the innocence of the Fish and the rage of the Goatfish and the wonderful shippiness of the Maiden, and the comments on the nature of the game and his motives throughout.

http://archiveofourown.org/works/154121 Twist (Crowbar, Droog)

Disturbing, very well thought out in the details, and a good depiction of the darker side of the Felt. It feels a bit lackluster as a story, though, like it’s more a scene that belongs in something longer.

http://archiveofourown.org/works/157655 A Million Years (Slick)

This is an interesting idea, but a lot of it feels less like a story and more a lecture to the reader on Snowman’s character development. They don’t seem to quite be talking to each other – she’s rambling over Slick like she’s really telling the reader things, and he’s not really responding either, just shouting general ragey interjections. You’re not really showing how she’s changed, you’re just explaining it.

Our POV characters for today are:

Snowman
Slick, Snowman
Jack
Clubs Deuce
Jack
Crowbar, Droog
Slick


So that’s two female POVs out of seven fic. I’m not quite sure what the proper ratio would be here, but that seems quite acceptable and certainly better than the other places I’ve checked this.


In other news, I’m shamed to say my telepathy is lacking, so for those of you who are voting for a different fandom or characters, you’ll have to specific which you’re talking about in a comment.